On Birthing a Book #writerslife #newrelease #paranormal #romance

Releasing a new book for sale, which is often likened to a book birthday, involves quite a few moving pieces and many more decisions. When I decided to indie publish my paranormal romance series, Secrets of Roseville, I did so knowing this fact. I’d researched the process, the options, and then discussed the overall concepts and the associated costs involved with my loving hubby.

What I didn’t know was that the choices and decisions never end! <grin> I thought I’d share a bit about how I work through the entire cycle from writing to release. And a few ah-ha moments of my own. Here goes!

The first step for me when beginning a new story project is to create the premise, the characters’ GMC (goal, motivation, and conflict) statements for both internal and external GMC. At this point, I also contemplate the title as a focus for the writing. For The Touchstone of Raven Hollow, it took a working lunch with an author friend to nail down the keywords and then the title. I also decided to retell an Irish myth as part of the core to the story, which helped focus the telling of Tara and Grant’s romance and the situations they would face and have to conquer.

With the premise and GMC and title nailed down, then it was on to drafting what I call scene beats, but actually is much more than that. I create a Word document that is an extensive table with columns for Chapter/Scene, Action, Characters & Setting, Relationship & Emotions, and Timeline. The first entry, including the Inciting Incident, for Touchstone looks like this:

I drafted the scenes I knew had to be included in the story, and then moved them around to make sense, adding others as I slowly built the story logic. This is not set in stone, however. As I write, the action changes, other scenes are added, some combined. Once I’m satisfied with the overall story, then I ask my critique partner for her opinion and suggestions on upping the tension, the motivation, the action, etc. Then I start writing, one scene each morning until the first draft is completed. Then I start again at the beginning, fleshing out the motivation, the emotional connections, and setting details to weave in the back story and its impact on the characters as they face their challenges.

Then it’s off to beta readers, those handful of readers I ask to be guinea pigs as far as what they like and don’t about the story, the characters, whatever feedback they care to give me. I pick my betas based on whether they are readers only or writers also, choosing some of each. I make sure the people I ask to read enjoy the genre in general, so they have a feel for what is expected in the story. Once I have all their comments, then I do another revision pass before sending it off to my editor.

While the story is being edited, I focus on the business side of the story. For The Touchstone of Raven Hollow, I actually failed to do my normal routine because of the interfering household move from Tennessee to Alabama. A fact I realized while writing this blog, actually. So now that it’s launching this week, I better get busy! So I pulled out a blank Book Launch Checklist and quickly started figuring out what I have done and what I need to do. I’ve done some of it, from memory, but here’s the complete list. The generic checklist is one I created based on a class I took on how to do a book launch, and also from other tips and hints I’ve learned from reading and talking to other indie pubbed authors over the last year. Here’s my list, and if it helps another author prepare for a launch, then that’s cool with me. You’ll note that I’m behind on this schedule, but I’m getting there. I still have a few days, right?

Include teaser scene at end for next/another book at end; also link to newsletter and/or website

1 month prior

Create a list of tweets and posts

1 month prior

Send out newsletter to announce cover and preorder link

5/10/17

When preorder live

Pin cover and buy links on Pinterest

5/11/17

1 month prior

Plan a contest or giveaway

4/10/17

3 weeks prior

Promote your launch party, blog tour, and/or contests/giveaways

4/6/17

1 week prior

By launch day, review and update online profiles again

Release day

Send out newsletter to announce release

Release day

Celebrate release day!

After release

As book goes live on retailer sites, add link to master list, verify book page information accuracy

1 month after

Continue launch efforts for up to 30 days

6 months after

Monitor book sales or ranking

After release

File copyright with LOC

This release is coming quicker than previous ones due to several factors. The primary one is that I had not anticipated moving when I decided to release the book, originally in June. See, hubby and I had thought to put the farm on the market in May, not February, so I had made my plans based on having time between January and May to do all the book launch tasks as laid out. Then we listed the farm February 1, and it sold in 6 weeks, and we moved 6 weeks later. So much for my carefully laid plans, right?

Additionally, my intent to release the first week of June moved back to May 20 so I could make sure to have print copies of Touchstone for the Heart of Dixie Romance Readers’ Luncheon which had originally been slated for June 10 had to move to June 3 due to hotel luncheon room availability. I’m in the process of ordering my table gifts for the readers who join me for this annual event in Huntsville, Alabama. It’s always a great time and I hope my table is filled by my readers, so I hope to see some of there!

I managed to finish writing The Touchstone of Raven Hollow before we sold the farm, so at least the creative part was done. The business and marketing tasks fell before and during the move. We sold the farm on April 28, and then on May 5 we took a week’s vacation in Maryland. A working vacation, since I had to continue with the release day promo and planning for the Facebook party on May 20. I hope you’ll come join the virtual party and help me celebrate my book’s birthday! The other authors and I are doing 12 Days of Giveaways leading up to the event, and you have time to like and comment and share the posts for a chance to win some pretty cool swag and books in addition to the games and giveaways on the event day itself this coming Saturday afternoon.

Keep in mind that the release tasks are only part of my writerly life. I also have some fiction editing to do this week, and contest entries to judge, as well as my other writing projects and research to get back to. Oh, and I have to organize my new office, which currently is a mess of boxes and piles of swag and miscellaneous other items. (I plan to share more in a future blog on what it looks like after the redecorating and settling is done.) Then there’s the house to clean, and more boxes to unpack, and books to read. <grin> One day at a time. One priority at a time. No matter what else, Touchstone will release on Saturday, and for that I’m very grateful and excited!

Do you have any tips for me on how to juggle multiple priorities? How do you balance work and personal chores and goals? How do you set your priorities?

P.S. If you haven’t already, please consider signing up for my newsletter, which I only send out when there is news to share. News like new covers, new releases, and upcoming appearances where I love to meet my readers. Also, I’ll be sharing one chapter each month in 2017 of a new historical romance novella, Elizabeth’s Hope, the prequel to my A More Perfect Union historical romance series, with my subscribers. Thanks and happy reading!

The Touchstone of Raven Hollow (Secrets of Roseville Book 3) is available now for pre-order! Grab your copy today!

He dug for the truth and found her magic.

Tara Golden has hidden her healing power all her life. But occasionally, she uses her abilities on people passing through town, sure they’d never figure out what saved them. Now a tall, sexy geologist is asking questions she doesn’t want to face, and he isn’t going to take no for an answer. There’s no way she would reveal her abilities and her gifted sisters for a fling.

The latest medical tests divulge geologist Grant Markel’s fatal condition is cured, but the scientist within him won’t accept it’s a miracle. When he meets the sexy, mystical witch who may hold the answer to his quest, he’s determined to prove she’s full of smoke and mirrors despite their mutual attraction.

When they are trapped in an enchanted valley, Tara must choose between her magical truth or his scientific beliefs. Can she step from the shadows to claim her true powers before it’s too late?